Yoko Kanamaru, born in Tokyo, began her musical studies at the age of five with the violin and then the viola at the age of 19. After her study at the TOHO Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, she furthered her study in Europe with Kim Kashkashian, Wolfram Christ and Nobuko Imai. Yoko is a first prize winner of International Brahms Competition and the Premio Valentino Bucchi International Competition. She was awarded the Special prize at the International Viola Competition in Moscow and Carl-Seemann-Prize at the Mendelssohn Competition. Her recent appearances have included with Yuri Bashmet and Moscow Soloists, the Baden-Badener Philharmonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Freiburg and Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. She has appeared at the Saito-Kinen Festival, the Kronberg Viola Festival in Germany. Her debut album, Landscape of Chaconne for Enzo Recordings, released in June 2008, is repertoires of Ligeti's Solo Sonata, Bach's Chaconne, including Multitruck audio recording for four violas. The CD is selected for the "Most Recommended CD Recordings" on several japanese music magazines. Since 2004 Yoko is a member of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, is currently living in Amsterdam. (www.yokokanamaru.com)